Norfolk Street Area Conservation Area Character Statement

The town is above half a mile in breadth from the river to Littleport-street, where the East Gate was taken down in the year 1800. High-street extends in a direct line through the heart of the town and is lined with well stocked shops and houses of public entertainment, like the market places, into which it opens; and Norfolk-street, which branches from it to the site of the East gate, and is also of considerable length. William White 1845

Character Statement Approved July 2003 Revised November 2008 Norfolk Street Conservation Area

Contents

Introduction 1 Setting and Location 1 King's Lynn - Origins and Historical Development 2 King's Lynn Conservation Area - 1969 to 2001 6 Changes to the Designation of King's Lynn Conservation Area 2003 6 Norfolk Street - Origins and Historical Development 6 Character Overview 11 Spaces and Buildings 13 Listed Buildings 23 Important Unlisted Buildings 24 Post-War Development 25 Traditional Materials 26 Archaeological Interest 27 Detractors 27

Appendices

Appendix 1 28 Appendix 2 29 Conservation Objectives 30

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Introduction harm to the essential character of the area. This type of assessment has been A Conservation Area - “An area of special encouraged by Government Advice (PPG15) architectural or historic interest, the and it has been adopted as supplementary character or appearance of which it is planning guidance desirable to preserve or enhance”. This character statement does not address The conservation of the historic environment enhancement proposals. Community led is part of our quality of life, helping to foster enhancement schemes will be considered economic prosperity and providing an as part of a separate process. attractive environment in which to live or work. The Borough Council is committed to Setting and Location the protection and enhancement of West Norfolk’s historic built environment and King’s Lynn stands at the south-east corner significant parts of it are designated as of The Wash, but several kilometres from conservation areas. open water, at the outflow of the River Great Ouse, 170 kilometres (106 miles) from Conservation areas were introduced by the London, 69 kilometres (43 miles) 1967 Civic Amenities Act. Local Authorities west-north-west of Norwich, 74 kilometres were required to identify areas of special (46 miles) north of Cambridge and 56 architectural or historic interest, whose kilometres (35 miles) north-east of character or appearance it is desirable to Peterborough. preserve or enhance, and to designate them as conservation areas.This duty is now part of the 1990 Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act which also requires the review of existing conservation areas and, where appropriate, the designation of new ones. The quality and interest of a conservation area depends upon a combination of factors including the relationship and architectural quality of buildings, materials, spaces, trees and other landscape features, together with views into and out of the area.

The King’s Lynn Conservation Area was first designated in 1969 and extended in 1979 and 1991..This document highlights the special qualities which underpin the character of the conservation area, justifying its designation. It also seeks to increase awareness of those qualities so that Its location at the mouth of the Ouse, and where changes to the environment occur, the inland waterways that it serves, brought they do so in a sympathetic way without the port its early success. The basins of the

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Gaywood River and the River Nar enter the River Nar to the south. On the west side town from the north-west and the south so were marshes and the open sea, but this the land is flat, and indeed much of it is has disappeared with the silting of The Wash reclaimed from the sea. But 11 kilometres and the deviation in the course of the River (7 miles) to the east, the ridge of the western Ouse. The economy was based on fishing, chalk escarpment rises to over 90 metres some coastal trade and the production of along the roughly north-south line of the salt, but it was not a major settlement until Peddar’s Way. King’s Lynn is a low-lying Bishop Herbert de Losinga founded the new conurbation, with salt marshes to the north town in 1100 and began construction of the and the dyke-lined Fens stretching away to priory church of St Margaret. Losinga’s town south and west, often below sea-level. Huge was established to the north of the existing skies dominate the nearly featureless, settlement, roughly between the Millfleet and tree-swept landscape. Beyond Lynn to the the Purfleet with the market at Saturday north-west is the Wash. From King’s Lynn Market Place. itself views are limited, for nowhere in the conservation area does the land dip below Benefiting from the patronage of successive three metres or rise to six metres above bishops of East Anglia, Losinga’s new town sea-level. There are good views within the became a significant regional trading centre town, but to architecture not landscape, with and expanded so rapidly that by the middle the exception of The Walks. One of the best of the twelfth Century the ‘newe lande’ to the views is from West Lynn over the River Great north, between the Purfleet and the Ouse to the long and varied quays of the Fisherfleet, was developed by Bishop Turbe. town. A second market in Tuesday Market Place was established, and St Nicholas’s chapel The whole area is agricultural, with the soil constructed as a chapel-of-ease to St of the Fens being among the most productive Margaret. The number of religious houses in Europe. Vegetables for freezing and built by the mendicant friars is, as always, a processing are grown locally and this sign of the importance of a town, and in Lynn determines the nature of the bulk of Lynn’s they arrived early and in numbers: the indigenous industry, with the product going Greyfriars in about 1230, the Blackfriars in by road and from the port of Lynn. The town 1272, the Austin friars in 1293 and the is in the centre of a local agricultural Whitefriars in about 1260. To protect these catchment area, with small- or medium-sized and the expanding European trade the market towns, and the nearest population original defence earthworks were replaced centre which exceeds Lynn’s 35,000 is the to the north and north-east by flint and brick city of Peterborough. walls begun in the 1290s and running as far south as the Purfleet. South of that, as far King's Lynn - Origins and as the South Gates, was a system of ditches Historical Development and earthworks fed by the two rivers, the two fleets and by a canal dug to link the Nar and King’s Lynn has its origins in the Saxon the southeast quadrant of the defences. Lynn period, but the first settlement was small, based round a series of salt-water lagoons defined by the Millfleet to the north and the

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relied on water for landward defences as it attributed ‘more gentry and gaiety’ to Lynn relied on the River Great Ouse and The than to Norwich: the merchants could afford Wash for its prosperity. it.

Trade declined in the 19th Century. First were the Napoleonic Wars, a disaster for a town which specialised in European trade, not with the expanding world empire. In 1844 came the railway, with more convenient and Most trade went by sea and river, and there reliable access to the eastern counties, is evidence that ocean-going ships unloaded causing a slump in coastal trade. By the last at quays into river craft for distribution inland. quarter of the Century rail communications Merchants from the Low Countries had by from Lynn were some of the best in England, the 12th Century established the Continental including easy access to London and Hull, trade in wool: in the 1260s 1200 bales were stifling the interests of owners of small ships. exported, rising to 2000 by the early 14th To compensate, the Alexandra Dock was Century. In the other direction came Gascon opened in 1869. Located north of the Fisher wine, coal, Baltic timber and luxury goods, Fleet it was capable of taking larger especially after the Hanseatic League deep-draught vessels and eliminating the established a trading centre in Lynn. After big problem in Lynn - the tidal nature of the that only London and Southampton (also River Great Ouse which meant that loading with Hansa offices) beat Lynn in export and unloading had to be done at the turn of volume and value. In less than 200 years each high tide. The Bentinck Dock followed Lynn grew from an obscure Saxon in 1883, but the great trading days of the port settlement crouching by a salt-water lagoon were over. into the third greatest port of England. There was always industry in Lynn: From the 16th Century cereal export shipbuilding from medieval times, and heavy dominated, with coal, wine and timber engineering following the construction of the constituting the principal return loads, and docks and the arrival of the railway. Traction by the 18th Century Lynn and Yarmouth engines, farm machinery and fairground were the principal grain handling ports in rides were made at the Savage works, and England. In 1800 these two centres handled Dodman’s Highgate Ironworks of 1875 made more grain traffic than all other ports in boilers, locomotives and ships. Cooper Roller England put together. No wonder Defoe

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Bearings, founded in 1894, is the only setting up the municipal system of mayor, surviving engineering works of the 19th aldermen and councillors. Almost all of them Century period. were successful merchants who before the Reformation conducted town business in the Trinity Guildhall, Saturday Market Place.

Until the Reformation Lynn was concentrated in the strip of land near the river front, with large areas of open ground to the east stretching up to the town walls and ditches. Only the two main highways to the permanent gates of East Gate and South Gates were built up with houses and shops. East of a line roughly following the present Friars Street, All Saints Street, Tower Street The period between the wars saw factories and Chapel Street were the fields and the serving the new food processing industry, precincts of the friars. An exception was the and in 1958 the most famous, Campbells, Whitefriars, whose house to the west of set up its factory in South Lynn.The post-war Friars Street to the south-west of the centre industrial boom experienced by King’s Lynn survives only as a gatehouse. South-east of prompted the London overspill scheme of All Saints church were open fields and 1962, which envisaged a population increase rope-walks. from 25,000 to 50,000 in twenty years. Encouraged by the local authority, fifty new This pattern of land use remained essentially companies came to the industrial estate at the same until the first years of the 19th Hardwick, south-east of the town, requiring Century. John Wood’s 1830 plan (Appendix 5,000 extra employees. More houses were 2 Map 4) indicates that the two central fleets provided on the three existing satellite were still open waterways, much reduced in estates to accommodate the surge in width, and the southern spur of the Fisher population to 38,000 in 1975, and, fleet was still identifiable.The first systematic infamously, the redevelopment of the town encroachments of the open lands were the centre. Between 1962 and 1971 one fifth of development of the Valingers Road area in historic King’s Lynn disappeared in the area 1807, the new London Road of 1803-06 and between London Road and the High Street the railway quarter built over the Blackfriars’ in favour of new shopping malls and land north of the Purfleet in the late 1840s pedestrianised streets. and 1850s. These new streets were lined with terraces, and it is terraces that are the How is this history reflected in the built most important 19th Century contribution to environment of the town? Power began to the town’s character. pass early from the bishops, but was encouraged by them. Bishop John Grey The remainder of the open land was also (1200-22) petitioned King John to grant Lynn being encroached. East of London Road a charter to be a free borough, but it was came Windsor Place and Guanock Terrace, Henry VIII who granted the governing charter and the roads opening north of them, and in the same area south of the Millfleet was the

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hospital.The most remarkable and important Almost every house in Queen Street and survivor of the old fields however is The King Street has a Georgian front added to Walks, one of the earliest municipal parks in an earlier building, for example the early 19th the country intended for public recreation. Century front at No.14 King Street conceals The New Walk (the present Broad Walk) was a late 17th Century double-pile plan. None well established by 1753, and planted with of the 18th Century houses had warehouses trees and hedges, with seats added, by incorporated within them, and of grander 1762. The Town Wall Walk was laid out in 19th Century houses there is nothing 1800-27, covering an area from Guanock remarkable in King’s Lynn. The story is Terrace in the south to Kettle Mills in the rather of terraced houses, all typical and north, but was bisected in 1844 by the beginning late, but of generally high quality, railway, and the northern section closed in especially those in the developments round 1870. Further expansions in the 19th & 20th London Road. In the thirty years from 1821 Centuries enlarged and consolidated The 1,384 houses were built in Lynn. King’s Lynn Walks (St James’ Park 1903, St John’s Walk also had its slums, situated in about 160 1906, the Recreation ground east of the alleys or yards off the main thoroughfares, walls on land bought between the Wars), so in which lived nearly a third of the town’s that today a realistic impression can be population. Some of these survive and have appreciated of the openness of the land in been restored, but most succumbed to slum this part of Lynn through a millennium. clearances in the 1920s and 30s. The gradual expansion of the town outside the Domestic buildings and those with dual walls continued throughout the 19th Century, domestic and commercial function survive but major planned developments came with early in Lynn, the earliest being the the 20th Century, with council houses going stone-built Norman hall at 28-30 King Street, up at Gaywood and North Lynn to the east which, when new, looked straight out over and north, and at South Lynn. the lagoon on the other (west) side of the street. Courtyard houses were confined to Warehouses are more remarkable.The river the first medieval town, on the west side of front moved west releasing land and from Nelson Street and Queen Street where the the 13th Century it became possible to build sea-bank allowed larger plots and where on narrow plots along the west side of King land was available up to the beginning of the Street.These plots were elongated in stages 16th Century. Hampton Court and Clifton until river movement ceased in this area in House were both begun in the 14th Century the 17th Century. The movement of the river and Thoresby College in about 1500. More in the first town was rather slower, but began common are houses of an L-shaped plan, earlier when there was less pressure for land with a street front often used for shops, and by the river. This resulted in more generous a range running back at the rear, which sized plots, reflected today in the surviving contained the Hall. Nearly all the houses on buildings dating from the 14th - 17th Century the west sides of Queen and King Streets around open courtyards. Warehouse design are of this type, the latter more altered than changed from the later 15th Century from the former. This plan predominated from the ranges parallel to the river, as at Hampton 14th Century. Houses with shops began to Court, to blocks set gable-end to the river, disappear after 1560. such as the Hanseatic Warehouse of about

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1477 on St Margaret’s Lane, the latter the conservation area by changes such as configuration capable of extension as slate/clay roofs to concrete tiled roofs, and necessary. St George’s Guildhall on King plastic windows replacing traditional timber Street of 1410-30 has behind it a whole frames. In 1983, at the Council’s request, series of added warehouses extending to the Secretary of State for the Environment the watergate at the river. approved an ‘Article 4 Direction’ for King’s Lynn Conservation Area under the Town and King's Lynn Conservation Area Country Planning General Development - 1969 to 2001 Orders 1977-81. The effect was to remove ‘permitted development’ rights for certain The original King’s Lynn Conservation Area types of development, requiring formal was designated in 1969, following the planning permission to be sought. introduction of the concept of conservation areas in the Civic Amenities Act of 1967. At Changes to the Designation of that time the conservation area was confined King's Lynn Conservation Area to the streets surrounding St Nicholas 2003 Chapel/Tuesday Market Place, and St Margaret’s Church/Saturday Market Place, Through many centuries of development linked by King Street and Queen Street. King’s Lynn exhibits a complex traditional (Appendix 1 Map 1). character. As a result of the review in 2003 it was felt that the existing single, large In 1978 a re-appraisal of the historic conservation area did not adequately reflect character of King’s Lynn within the old town the clear pattern of growth which can be walls was undertaken. The study area was seen in the physical make-up of the town divided into 18 zones with 10 of these zones centre. forming the basis for a new, enlarged conservation area, adopted by the Borough So the existing conservation area has been Council in March 1979. (Appendix 1 Map 2). sub-divided into five new conservation areas with boundaries which define the main In 1991 a minor extension to the historic periods of development (Appendix conservation area was made in Stonegate 1 Map 3 shows the extent of these areas). Street to protect the remains of an historic Character Statements for each area have house and shop contained within a printing been written to highlight their special features works. Further minor adjustments were made and were approved by the Borough Council in 1992 to accord with new base maps. in 2003 and the text has been fully revised There have been no additional changes in November 2008. since that time.

In the early 1980’s the Borough Council Norfolk Street - Origins and became increasingly concerned about the Historical Development alterations to the exterior of unlisted historic buildings which owners were making under In common with all of the land north of the normal ‘permitted development’ rights. The Purfleet, there was nothing here but effect was to dilute the special character of marshes, fields and tracks until Bishop Turbe

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laid out his ‘newe lande’ in the middle of the ropemakers, four public houses (the 12th Century, effectively creating a new Greyhound and The George on the south, planned town with its own streets, market the Catherine Wheel and The Swan on the place, wharves and chapel. The new town north), drapers, weavers, tanners, was linked to the older settlement south of locksmiths, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, the Purfleet by two bridges, Stone Bridge ironmongers, bakers, carpenters, one listed (High Street) and Belvacos Bridge (Tower as a merchant and thirteen private residents. Street). But the road link out of town to the Some of the latter had multiple holdings and east and west had much earlier origins, for were presumably landlords to shopkeepers. Norfolk Street (formerly called Damgate for In addition there were purely private houses. most of its length) follows the line of an early With the decline of corn and wool traffic from medieval route running from Spalding in the the west in the 16th Century and consequent east to the prehistoric Icknield Way in the loss of the annual fair, manufacturing and west. This allowed movement of goods retail opportunities were developed to between the rich agricultural hinterlands of compensate. the northern Fens and West Norfolk along a strip of land between the southern edge of Clearly Damgate was always one of the the Wash and the Fens themselves, with principal shopping streets of King’s Lynn, as necessary ferry crossings at intervals. well as the home to diverse light industry and trading. At the east end was the bridge over The existence of an established route made the Gaywood River and the East Gate itself, the emergence of Damgate as a primary one of the two principal points of entry to the point of entry to the town virtually a matter town from the walls, built originally in the of course. From the Survey of the Newland 1290s, where taxes could be levied or of c. 1250, it is clear that it was built up troublemakers repulsed as circumstances throughout its entire present-day length, with directed. inns, warehouses, three canals or staithes at the east end, shops, houses and even an annual fair of its own. It was the longest built-up street in Lynn, running all the way to the River Ouse, and the survey identifies about 100 individual tenements between Broad Street and East Gate. In this section development was limited to a narrow band on either side of the street, though more densely built up west of Broad Street, and the pattern remained like this until the 19th Century. By the 14th Century the tenements lining the street had resolved themselves into long rectangular plots, with the short edge to the street, assisting in, even forcing, By the middle of the 13th Century Austin the development of the urban hall-house Street was also quite heavily developed west plan. In the 1570s the occupancy pattern of its mooring fleet and bridge, with a corn east of Broad Street included tailors, mill on the north side of the cut south at the east end. Similarly, Paradise Lane had

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tenements along the east side of the track, In 1844 the railway arrived in Lynn, heralding or road, but the area between Broad Street great change to the fortunes of Lynn as a and the eastern defensive walls and ditch port , and more sudden and tangible change was mainly open land. Henry Bell’s Plat of to the landscape of the immediate area.The c.1670 (Appendix 2 Map 1) indicates much station was the same ribbon development along Norfolk Streetand Austin Street, but virtually nothing on Paradise Lane, which had reverted to a winding lane across the fields towards Baxter’s Plain. The Norfolk Street buildings have rear gardens, and on this map and on Rastrick’s 1725 plan (Appendix 2 Map 2) the rectangular orientation of the plots is clear, very few if any amalgamated into larger plots.

The situation remained the same until the time of John Wood’s 1830 plan of Lynn (Appendix 2 Map 4), and even then the differences are not marked. On the south constructed right over one of the Walks, in side of Norfolk Street (now called that, not open grassland, and a railway quarter grew Damgate) are courtyard arrangements up devoted to residential occupation, not flanking Paradise Lane, which have since commerce, at first in quality terraces. St reverted to individual rectangular plots. John’s church was built for the expanding Littleport Street at the east end is population (in 1841 the population of distinguished as such, Blackfriars Road is a Paradise Ward was 1,332, in 1861 2,276). lane called Back Lane with a terrace of By the mid nineteenth century, the western houses, Union Place, at the north end, but half of St John’s Terrace was built, and New otherwise with trees on the east side as part Street, now called Railway Road, was being of the northern section of The Walks. There developed south from Norfolk Street and has been considerable building between north form Blackfriars Road. Both sides of Norfolk and Austin Streets, but still with large the present Blackfriars Street were open spaces for allotments or orchards, and developed, including the Stepney Chapel of at the west end, where Albert Street and 1841 for non-conformists. Away from the Albert Terrace now are, were the gardens railway sector, Albert Street had been built of the former Austin Friars, dotted with trees. in the early 1840s, lined with houses on both sides, but the slightly reduced Austin gardens remained.

By 1857 the three ‘railway streets’, Waterloo, Portland and Wellesley, had been laid out and individual plots were being developed,

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the earliest and one of the most superior Up to the Second World War the situation being the terrace on the north side of changed only as far as density of infill was Portland Street. concerned, the only other new road laid out being Albert Terrace, from 1903. The cattle pens on the north side of Wellesley Street gave way to industrial units in the 1920s, and the Salvation Army barracks of 1880 at the east end of the south side was replaced with housing, but the pattern of development had been finally established. The next major change involved post-war development.

Norfolk Street, from Broad Street in the west to Littleport Bridge in the east, is one of a number of urban streets in England which is known to have been built up in a very similar manner as today from at least the 13th Blackfriars Road had been completed up to Century.The architecture of the shops which the Belgrave Hotel, and more encroachment line it now is predominantly late 18th and was taking place from the Norfolk Street end, 19th Century, with a number of post-war infill but another development was virtually developments often amalgamating one or finished - the triangle formed by Paxton more of the original plots, but the pattern of Terrace, Coburg Street and Wyatt Street. plots is readily identifiable. Moreover, the Kirby Street, running south from Norfolk nature of the buildings has remained Street to Wellesley Street, had been consistent over the centuries, displaying only commenced in the late 1830s, and was more an expansion in the number of commercial than half developed from the north by the properties over domestic ones, a 1850s. Meanwhile, Railway Road had development which accelerated after the mid acquired that name and was lined with 19th Century. houses and certainly shops, and Marshall Street and Stanley Street were pushed out Several shops remain, some with flats on on the east side. Also taking shape were Old the upper floors, with direct evidence of Market Street (linking the cattle market earlier construction. The early 18th Century between Paradise Lane and Broad Street Nos. 117 & 118, on the north side west of with Railway Road) and Albion Street, the Albert Street, is possibly one of the last former with the Union Chapel, the latter with timber-framed houses built in Lynn, the National School of 1853 to cater for disguised by a typical early 19th Century education in a district of Lynn where it had brown brick façade. Opposite is No. 26, and not been required before. By 1855 it must further out Nos. 37 & 38, all timber framed have been difficult to appreciate that eleven late 16th century buildings. Nos. 99 & 100 years earlier this whole area was part of The on the north side are identifiable as a late Walks. 15th Century range of shops on the ground floor with accommodation above, of brick and timber framing, and with an iron cullis surviving in the medieval passage to the

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rear. Beyond Railway Roadon the south side Norfolk Street as a mainly shopping street are Nos. 51-53: early 17th century and of from the middle of the 19th Century the new ubiquitous material, brick, combining coincided with a new phase of building in the commercial and residential activity. Moving town, fed by the railway and the expanding further east from the centre, No. 61 population of the railway quarter. By the end represents the late 17th century. At Nos. 74 of the century only a handful of & 75 one finds a five-bay mid 18th century timber-framed buildings remained obvious composition with doorways right and left as such from the exterior, but within party under acanthus hoods leading to the walls there will remain copious amounts of first-floor accommodation. In Littleport Street medieval and 17th Century masonry and its early to mid Georgian period picks up the timber. Even in outwardly early 20th Century story, with Nos. 5 & 17, and then comes the structures, there remains a great deal still to be discovered in the street.

The architecture of the other streets tells of a much more sudden and recent history. Railway Road is the other street with buildings put up from the beginning with a retail ground floor and residential upper floors. Uniform terraces were not really required, and there is an interesting dissimilarity of design and materials (apart from the use of brick) of the properties erected in the 1850s. The essentially residential streets west of the railway, Blackfriars Road, Waterloo Street, Portland late Georgian at the Hob in the Well public Street and Wellesley Street favour brown house before going. Finally back with the brick terraces, of which the earliest, in 16th Century at the arches of Littleport Blackfriars Road and Portland Street are the Bridge. grandest. From the late 1850s effort concentrated on smaller, two-storey terraces, These buildings are fairly evenly distributed along the street, and in their original state would have exhibited the plan forms and details of their respective periods. Many more will have survived into the early 19th Century, a period when building activity gripped King’s Lynn, and Nos. 117-118 reveal the sequence of events which converted them into the series of properties of similar width. New tastes, especially in shop display windows, led to the street frontages being altered, perhaps by a new brick skin, perhaps by complete reconstruction. The increasing popularity of

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but usually with an effective design relying Street and John Kennedy Road into major on symmetry, prominent doorcases and sash circulation routes means that it is less windows:- the infill in dominated by vehicles than at any time before the 1970s, but confirms its traditional role as a shopping street. Only three houses remain as purely domestic buildings, though there are a limited number of first- and second-floor flats above the shops. This subtle change in emphasis was a deliberate policy in the post-war years with the extension of John Kennedy Road breaking through to link with Railway Road. This planning decision confines the bulk of through traffic to the south-north axis created by these two roads, which act as a continuation of the route from the South Gate via London Road - a logical and sensible the ‘railway’ streets, and those in Marshall conclusion to the schemes of the second Street and Stanley Street off Railway Road. decade of the 19th Century. Despite Nos. 1-6 Marshall Street of c. 1850 are alterations of facades in the late Georgian particularly fine examples of this modest but and Victorian periods, the scale of the quality housing. Albert Street, built in the buildings and the size of the plots – with 1840s with terraces on both sides of the road some obvious 20th Century exceptions – (only those on the west side remain), is a remain as they were in the 15th Century. similar but surprisingly early manifestation of the same thing. But by the opening years The alleys and yards opening off Norfolk of the 20th Century the need to put up Street are an attractive feature of great terraces to a specification and cost resulted historical value, even if those, especially on in Albert Avenue. Leaving aside Norfolk the south side, have lost their purpose of Street, this area provides an instructive illustration of urban domestic and commercial design of the second half of the 19th Century. Character Overview

Historically Norfolk Street was a busy commercial street bringing traffic and goods to Tuesday Market Place from the East Gate, in the same way as London Road does from the south, although its much greater antiquity is indicated by its narrowness and gently curving course. Pedestrianisation of the west end of the street, and the promotion of Austin

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linking the street with the gardens and the north side, clumps of trees and the allotments which began to be systematically remnants of the 13th Century town walls developed from the mid running

19th Century. Particularly interesting is parallel to the Gaywood River. Small narrow George Yard, for it retains two early 19th parks open up to the north and south of the Century warehouse buildings (one now bridge, very quiet, contrasting markedly with converted to housing) in what was the yard the role of the street as one of the major of a major inn. A suggestion of points of entry to the town.The traffic diverts manufacturing or of coal and timber yards away from Norfolk Street north up Austin survives in the yard north of No. 96, and Street and south down Blackfriars Road, Paradise Lane, a very old thoroughfare, both of which have industrial sites gives the impression and scale of a late redeveloped in loose, widely-spaced medieval minor road. commercial units. Inevitably these principal traffic routes require prominent street There are no trees on Norfolk Street, but signage and lamp standards. window boxes make a contribution, as does the lack of intrusive street lighting and signs, Railway Road is another shopping street, until the junction with Austin Street and but the development of the houses and Littleport Street is reached. Here the shops along it was achieved in a matter of character changes. Littleport Street is much two decades from the 1840s, where there wider (it was originally narrower, but was had been only green fields before.The street widened as buildings were demolished on has undergone more rapid change than the south side), with Georgian houses on others in the area, with continuing alteration to facades and shopfronts, and a much higher rate of change of ownership of individual premises. The combination of traffic routes north up Railway Road into John Kennedy Road and east along Littleport Street to Austin Street allows the quieter,

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more measured, development and Spaces and Buildings conservation of all the other roads in this conservation area. Blackfriars Road runs east from a busy four-way junction, with tall terraces on the One of the more interesting groups of streets north side overlooking St James’ Park and is the railway quarter, developed in a grid the view east towards St John’s church and pattern following the opening of the railway the start of St John’s Walk, with trees. It has station in 1844. Blackfriars Road (southern an open aspect which is fully exploited by end), Waterloo Street, Portland Street, and the grand mid 19th Century St John’s Wellesley Terrace with its area railings and

Street are, all remorselessly urban in continuous wrought-iron first-floor balcony. character, without trees, but lined with a The spear-head railings with cast-iron good mixture of prestige and lesser, artisan, sleeper plates to Nos. 3 & 4 are particularly housing in unified terraces. Blackfriars Road, good examples. The road turns north after and its continuation west, Blackfriars Street, this, the corner neatly articulated by the are busy traffic streets, but the others are in Belgrave Hotel. A cycle track on the east complete contrast, with no shops and no side leading from the railway station is closed through routes. A similar sudden contrast is from the street by utilitarian galvanised steel highlighted by Marshall Street and Stanley railings in front of the late 19th Century iron Street, opening off Railway Road, again quiet railings to the vicarage garden. The and characterised by polite, well-designed dominating building is the gault-brick railway terraces of houses begun in the 1850s. The station of 1877 in Great Eastern style, with same may be said of Albert Street, off an impressive timber-fronted buffet in the Norfolk Street, built up in the early 1840s, interior hall, and cast-iron canopy supports and Albert Avenue, an early 20th Century to the platforms. Beyond the station is a red concept of cheaper housing with an brick single-storey service building. The atmosphere of a northern industrial town. Conservation Area boundary has been extended here to the north, east and south of the station and a small area to the

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north-east has been removed to ensure the prosperous air to the street, of three storeys- boundary fits more accurately with the station a fitting entrance to the town from the original car park area railway station.

The east side of Blackfriars Road north of this point is outside the conservation area, and the west side continues with a three-storey late 19th Century block at the corner with Portland Street, giving way to an early 20th Century two-storey terrace (Nos. 12-15). The conservation area boundary turns west at Wellesley Street, but further north on Blackfriars Road the Conservation Area boundary has been extended to include the terrace of 19th century houses at the north-west end of the street, many of which still have good doorcases. Wellesley Street together with Portland Street and Waterloo Street constitute the earliest of the ‘railway’ developments of King’s Lynn after 1844, when the first station was opened. They are planned streets, and together form a grid of three rectangular blocks between Railway Road and Blackfriars Road, the first to be laid out being Waterloo Street in the late 1840s. Waterloo Street is the narrowest, with only one tree, and the relics of a 20th plus basements. Most have, excellent Century light industrial past on the south doorcases, and original doors, and side. These industrial buildings are low key spear-headed or acanthus-headed railings and do not overwhelm the terrace of small on cast-iron sleeper plates. The remainder single-bay houses opposite, each one fitted of the north side continues the theme with a with a more elaborate doorcase than would lower three-storey terrace, Nos. 17-23, be typical. Portland Street in contrast is an making up for lack of doorcases with a unusually wide street, wider than Railway rusticated ground floor and window hoods Road, completely urban in character, without which, on no.s 21-23 are on consoles. vegetation. The scale of the main terrace on Facing Nos. 17-23 are Nos. 16-24 on the the north side, Nos. 3-15, gives a solid south side, with the same detailing, but with the variation of a stuccoed cornice below the attic storey.

Wellesley Street has suffered mixed fortunes in the 20th Century, but in the 19th Century had only a terrace of four houses

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on the south side, plus the Salvation Army There are no trees and no greenery, not Barracks, now rebuilt. It stands outside the even a window box; it is a street dedicated conservation area boundary. to commerce and traffic with only a handful of domestic houses. The houses and shops From the junction of Blackfriars Road with are varied, within an overall pattern: Railway Road, Blackfriars Street continues rectangular plots with the short edge to the west. Here the Conservation Area has been street and buildings of 2-3 storeys in height, adjusted to realign the boundary with the but not a single one is a listed building. This kerb line. With the exception of the Stepney pattern, typically for commercial streets, has Chapel and the former red brick gabled altered, with amalgamation of plots for larger school of 1843 the view west is of the late new premises of trading concerns, and 20th Century. The chapel of 1840-1 by J. different treatment of frontages, some Fenton presents a gault brick pedimented stuccoed, some rendered and others left as front turning from Classical on plain brick.This is immediately illustrated on the east side, with the three-storey brown brick of No. 33, followed by the rendered Footlights Dance Centre replacing three former buildings. Between Waterloo and Portland Streets are a group stepping up from two to three storeys, with mixed finishes to the facades, and more unity at the north end. Unity is the key to Nos. 41-48, north of Portland Street, a terrace built in one season, some of which has a superior rusticated ground floor, but with only two original doors, and sashes to only a few properties.

The west side of Railway Road begins with the ground floor to Italianate on the upper a former public hall of 1884 by E.J. Colman, floor and has very fine contemporary railings with finer detailing to the windows and and gates.The Conservation Area has been doorcases, then two purely residential brown extended at this point to include the former and red brick houses (Nos. 32 & 32A). The school building immediately to the west of widened entrance to Old Market Street the Chapel. This building relates well to the opens on the west, marked by the Stepney Chapel and marks the end of the splay-sided modern commercial property on historic part of Blackfriars Street. the north corner. Next comes the contrasting former Tabernacle Chapel of 1852-3 (No. Railway Road is an entirely new 26A) built to seat 620 people, and with its development of the 1840s and 50s, and runs internal cast-iron gallery columns intact, and due north, with only a slight deviation to the an external shaped gable high and visible west just south of Stanley Street, so one end from a distance. Then follows a unified cannot quite be seen from the other. It dips commercial and residential terrace of two marginally in the centre, dropping to 4.0 storeys, made less unified by later metres (4.3 yards) from 5.2 metres (5.6 alterations, and finished by Nos. 18-20, yards) at each end, so is effectively flat.

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formed from five original properties and given The east side of Railway Road north of a 20th Century façade out of keeping with Wellesley Street has a good run of terraced the remainder. houses, No. 53 is still residential. The first unit (Nos. 49-51) was originally four houses, of which the first two provided the accent by being three storeys high. They have been amalgamated into a restaurant (the former Glendeven Hotel). The remainder benefit from the slight deviation in the street line and again have mixed treatment to the facades. Between Stanley Streetand Marshall Streetare the best houses in the street;. two brown-brick pairs (Nos. 57-58 and 59-60) with doorcases and, for Nos. 60 and 58, their sashes surviving to illustrate the way a number of properties in the street must have looked when new. Between them is the yard Albion Street has a wide entrance, the of A.F. Holman & Son marked by the good product of clearances in the 1970s, with a 1895 façade of No. 58A itself, dressed in view west to the car parks of post-war King’s neo-Jacobean guise. Then, to finish the Lynn. Continuing with Railway Road on the street, another mixed group stepping up and west side is a series of five mid 19th Century down between two and three storeys and two-storey buildings presenting a the usual varying surface treatment of the wide-narrow-wide-narrow-narrow rhythm facades. North of this is John Kennedy Road beginning with a former pub. This has its and a view of the modern commercial and exposed brown brick, but the remainder have utility quarter of King’s Lynn, outside the been treated to a variety of pastel washes conservation area. over render. A pair of large, three-storey residential houses take over, followed by a Of the streets running off Railway Road to lower two-storey property, originally another the east, those of the railway quarter have pub. The entirely modern Oldsunway yawns already been considered. The other two, open at this point, its initial width beginning Stanley Street and Marshall Street, are the break-down in the unity of this side of among the oldest and represent the remains the street. The block running up to Norfolk of a small good-quality residential Street is mixed, with more of the 20th than development of the early 1850s, together the 19th Century evident, and with a big with a lost street, Bedford Street, linking gable of the terminal building on Norfolk Street providing an accent. Until the 1960s shake-up of central Lynn this is where Railway Road ended, at a T-junction with Norfolk Street. John Kennedy Road was introduced as no more than a traffic artery.

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them at the east end. No. 1 Stanley Street the cluster of signage and traffic lights at the presents a big flat brick façade, and the Railway Road junction. There is a valuable south side continues with a workshop unit clump of shrubbery on the north side by the former school. The Lord Kelvin pub on the south is painted in a red ochre, which makes it a minor landmark and No. 10 beyond it retains its late 19th Century shop and accommodation character. Set back to the south is the unprepossessing rear of the Christian Fellowship centre. The conservation area ceases west of No. 10 and diverts north along Albion Street. This has the same history as Old Market Street, and the same dates, but is much more intact. First on the west is St John’s public elementary school of 1853 (now Pedlar’s Hall cafe) in the Tudor style with mullioned gable-end to the street. The north side now windows, little has a post-war single-storey unit, and the view to the east is of 1980s housing developments outside the conservation area. The south side of Marshall Street is all good. First is the return façade of No. 60 Railway Road with its doorcase intact, then a remarkable two-storied workshop unit gable-end to the street with a clerestory of small-paned windows along the west side. The Conservation Area has been extended to include the rest of Marshall Street, which consists of an almost complete terrace of artisans’ houses of c. 1852, Nos. 1-6. They have paired doorcases with console brackets and although only Nos. 4 & 5 have their gablets and white painted brick trim. It is also genuine doors and sashes, the terrace is an integral part of the street scene on Albion complete and capable of being returned to Street, facing a late 1850s terrace of eight, its original condition. partly rendered and partly of plain brick, like the terrace in Marshall Street capable of Three streets run off Railway Road to the having sashes, doors and slates replaced. west, two of which owe their character The last three are set back slightly. Then almost entirely to the 1960s. Old Market follows a short group of light industrial Street is the southerly one, like Railway buildings, 20th Century at the north end, Road a new development of the early 1850s, before the road swings east to join Railway built up on the south side by the late 1870s. Road, with the return of Nos. 14 & 15 The view west gains from the visual Railway Road to the north and car parking termination of the museum but suffers from

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to the south. The school and its immediately To the north-east of this area at the east surrounding have been included in the entry to the town is Littleport Street, the Conservation Area. medieval and present extension of Norfolk Street. Of the East Gate there is nothing to To the north is Oldsunway, a new road of see, and the view west from Gaywood Road the 1960s where no road had been before, gives no indication of the 16th Century bridge taking traffic to the car parks of the new under the 20th Century structure, necessary commercial centre. The south side is mainly to strengthen it. There are welcome groups car parking and is outside the conservation of trees, quite dense on the north side area, but on the north are the backs of older opposite the Hob in the Well public house properties on Norfolk Street. There is little (listed, early 19th Century), especially in front foliage apart from the occasional clump in of the early 18th Century listed No. 17. From a northern yard. The northern yards are the bridge is a limited but satisfying vista either car parks for Norfolk Street premises, north and south along the Gaywood River, storage areas or derelict yards of light better to the north. Kettlewell Lane to the industry, although. one or two businesses north and still trade. Fronting King’s Lynn Glass about half way along is a stretch of partly rebuilt brick wall of the late 17th

Littleport Terrace to the south track the course of the river, and more significantly the medieval walls, which here survive in Century, with a later, almost illegible date their most complete form. Circular-section stone of 1865. Nos. 4 & 5 are a pair of early iron railings mark the boundary of the 19th Century mansard-roofed houses, then tree-studded little park off Kettlewell Lane. another yard and then two hipped warehouse Littleport Terrace and then Wyatt Street have buildings. One of these early 19th Century the walls on their east, behind which is buildings, which once served George Yard, another small elongated park rich with trees. off Norfolk Street, and are built over another The Conservation Area has been extended old brick wall, here of c. 1600, has been to the west and the south to include the listed converted into two houses. The road bridge over the Gaywood River, and to continues towards Vancouver Court, outside include the entry to the Highgate area. the conservation area.

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Littleport Street continues west, with a row metres to 5.9 metres (17 - 19 feet), so again of houses and shops on the north side and it is flat. In the 19th Century numerous small an empty space for proposed housing where yards and alleys opened off it to the north a petrol station has been demolished on the and south, and some, such as Paradise Lane south. The north range begins with an 18th and Kirby Street were important Century pair, Nos. 13-15, then 20th Century thoroughfares, but most have been infill, and, rather grand, the stucco-fronted obliterated, principally in the post-railway No. 5. Two storeys and attic and seven bays era. Those that remain are adjuncts to wide, this is a late 18th Century merchant’s Norfolk Street, not comparable to the actual house. The west end of the street has more roads diverging from Railway Road, so will trees on the south side, but there is a be taken into account here. The first part of disappointing junction with Austin Street, the street, from Chapel Street to Albert Street marked by a forest of traffic lights and a is a pedestrianised area, laid with stone camera pylon in the triangular central island, setts, and the character of the whole is of an ringed with galvanised steel railings. The intimate, narrow street continuously lined three-storey return of No. 71 Norfolk Street with two- and three-storey shops. There are is however a good punctuation mark at a few unified groups of more than two shops, visually important junction. Austin Street so the impression is of constant variety. cuts north but the four-bay brick façade of Today there are no wholly domestic buildings Nos. 114-118 on the west is the last 19th at all. Its commitment to urbanity is Century structure on this side of the street. emphasised once again by the complete lack On the east the houses are outside the of trees or foliage other than in window conservation area, and ahead are late 20th boxes. Century housing developments, quite nicely angled to the street and each other. The The south side begins with a studious street swings west, with commercial activity classical block of the 1920s (the former on the north behind a chain-link fence and Catleugh department store) wrapping round on the south Anglia Yard and car parking. the corner with Broad Street, and thereafter At the west end of the street there are is a sequence of three shops with scattered trees on the north and south, but three-storey frontages, their cornices all at the view in three directions is of car parks. the same height, but their architectural styles From here John Kennedy Road cuts south differing. The upper floor of Nos. 15-16 have to Railway Road, where Norfolk Street classical pediments to the windows, but Nos. crosses. 17-18 has timbering applied to the façade in imitation of Elizabethan architecture, then The section of Norfolk Street within this part No. 18A in the manner of mid 19th Century of the conservation area runs from Broad townhouses, with exposed brown brick and Street to Littleport Street, the history and sashes. The scale then drops to two storeys development of which has been noted. It is with No. 19, then a 1980s infill of the same a long, not wide, street gently curving in its size and another, taller, late 20th Century western half, much straighter in the eastern, building. Up to No. 28 is a series broadly of but its course is set west-east, out of the uniform two-storey height, most of which are town. There is only the most marginal 19th Century rebuilds of older buildings apart elevational change in its course, from 5.2

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from the listed 16th -Century No. 26. finally a tall late 19th Century brown brick Between Nos. 23 and 24 is the entry to edifice turning the corner into Albert Street, George Yard which takes its name with sashes.

from the pub which occupied No. 23, and Resuming the south side is first No. 28, a whose sign has been transferred to the side curiously tall, narrow mid 20th Century of the premises within the yard, on the west. rebuild, the next small-scale building (No. The yard passage has rebuilt walls on both 29) has uPVC detailing, and then one of the sides, and there has been reconstruction of largest, a three-storey, four bay pair of shops 19th Century workshop units within the and flats of c. 1879, of gault brick with red irregular open space beyond, but two brick interlaced detailing. Between this and important early 19th Century warehouses Paradise Lane is another rebuild matching remain, side by side, and noted from height if not width. Paradise Lane in Oldsunway. One has now been converted medieval days wandered into allotments and to housing. open areas and by the later 19th Century gave access to the cattlemarket, still by a The north side of the street has buildings of twisting route. Today it is a short straight differing height organised more regularly, in alley framing the view of Oldsunway and the places almost alternating. A disappointing car park beyond, under a pair of modern 1960s building faces Holland & Barrett at the junction with Chapel Street, but No.s 125-127 are reasonably good mid 19th Century two-storey properties, No. 125 being mimicked in the 20th Century No. 124. The next pair regain three-storey status, although No. 123 is a rebuild (the previous building having been bombed) with exposed brick cavity walling, and No. 122 has uPVC windows. A sudden lower variation follows, and then a pink-painted three-storey, three-bay shop with mid 19th Century sashes. Next the listed Nos. 117-118 and

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cast-iron overthrows. No. 32 is again storey Nos. 103-104, but located immediately small-scale, with an early 20th Century front west of No. 104, is a passageway through but 18th Century brickwork in to the rear containing 16th Century timbers in addition to two RSJs. No. 104A facing the yard has remains of a jettied north front, but it looks across not a yard but unexpectedly a spur of the Austin Street car park: from a narrow street of medieval origins, through the narrowest of passages into a wide expanse of tarmac, with trees. To the east are derelict remains of a building in the next yard. Behind this section of Norfolk Street two small areas have been removed from the Conservation Area so as to align the boundary with the rear boundaries of the Norfolk Street properties. the west wall. Three 19th Century shops Back into Norfolk Street and another pair of continue east to Nos. 37-38 (listed, late 16th two-storey shops squashed between larger Century) which is sandwiched between them ones, the larger one, No. 100 with a 19th and the large and conspicuous 1970s No. Century front but evidence of a 15th Century 39 with unfortunate projecting windows and interior. It is listed along with No. 99, back exposed concrete floor beams. No. 40, of c. to two storeys, and also 15th Century. 1860 competes with it by being raised in Between them is a private passageway. Next height in c. 1880, and carries one of the a group of three, the first two of mid 19th discreet wall-mounted street lights which Century brown brick (rendered and painted benefits this street. Between these two is an white to No. 98), and No. 96 with a slightly alley, Ostler’s Yard, so called because No. later brick skin but an older interior. Between 39 stands on the site of an inn, the inn yard Nos. 96 and 95 is a carriageway with timber built over by sheer walls of brick. The yard doors leading to another irregular yard with pavement has some remains of its trees overlooking it at the north end and once-cobbled surface. Running up to various lock-ups backing onto it. To the west Railway Road is a good group of two-storey is the broken-down walling of a building 19th Century painted brick facades with already noticed. At the end of the sashes and varied display windows. passageway stands a curious small single-storied building with a canted entrance The north side leaves Albert Street by way corner and carstone and brick construction. of a group of three mid 20th Century ranges, Of about 1905, it is probably the office of a breaking up the rhythm of the street by being tradesman’s yard. Norfolk Street meets partly set back and, at Nos. 100-114, having Railway Road with a very tall bald painted wider frontages than their neighbours. Nos. building of the late 19th Century. 105-108 resume the street line and present first two three-storey buildings and then two Poplar Garage and Bennett’s Yard have lower ones, all from the second half of the been replaced by Lidl superstore and 19th Century. Of a similar date to the three delivery bays. Next is the most townish of all

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19th Century brown brick blocks, Nos. 78: side survive; the rest were demolished as three storeys and six bays wide, fitted with part of the 1970s reorganisation and are now original sashes. It encompasses the entry to part of the large Austin Street car park. The Anglia Yard and the 1990s housing nine houses are surprisingly varied, built in developments within it. Nos. 77-76 is a groups of one, two or three as if by different competent mid 20th Century rebuild, but speculative developers. The rise and fall of Nos. 74-75 are the best of the mid 18th the skyline is an engaging feature, as is the Century shop and flat developments with the survival of such a large proportion of original original frontage above the display windows. fittings. Of them all however only Nos. 7 & Of about the same height is No. 73, and then 10 retain all of their sashes, doors, the almost inevitable taller bulk of the corner doorcases and slate roof cladding. Albert building at Austin Street. Avenue, which is an extension to the Conservation Area, cuts off to the west and The south side moves east from Railway then sharply south, laid out from 1903 with Road with an attractive group of two-storied conventional terraces of the time. The buildings, mostly early 19th Century but unusual northern town appearance of the including the listed Nos. 51-53, of the early southern section derives from the flatness 17th Century. No. 61, painted cream, is also of the facades, here all of uniform height, listed, late 17th Century, and Nos. 62-64 and the width of the road, and the lack of were in c. 1860 a three-shop group, now trees, apart from the coincidental existence somewhat knocked about. The truncated of a tree at the far end, over the boundary stump of Kirby Street goes off to the south wall. Its style and unity of scale gives it a and leads to the modern development at particular character. At the northern end is Emmerich Court. Nos. 65-70A take us to part of the wall of the Austin Friars dating Austin Street, a very good and simple mid from the 16th Century, with the bulk of King’s 19th Century row of varied heights and Court looming over it. dispositions, and including three domestic properties, Nos. 65-68A. The east side of Chapel Street falls within this part of the conservation area, south of No. 42. From Norfolk Street on this side is the looming mass of QD’s store, with similar-sized modern walling opposite. But the prospect opens, and on the east is Chapel Court, a 1980s development in vernacular style and materials, giving way to Nos. 30-40 (also 1980s) then the listed early 18th Century No. 42, an asset to any street. Running back from this is more of the 16th Century brick wall of the Austin Friars, and in the service yard behind Nos. 30-40, a very fine section of walling, of the same date and style. Albert Street links Norfolk Street with Austin Street and was built up on a new site in the early 1840s. Only the houses on the west

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Listed Buildings No. 14 Blackfriars Road.The Belgrave Hotel completed the terrace and There are 40 listed buildings in this section occupies an important visual corner of the conservation area. The Statutory List facing The Walks to the south and the was revised in 1989-90 and issued on 26 railway station to the east. Of c. 1850, July 1993. In August 2001the King’s Lynn brown brick and another excellent iron Railway Station was listed, grade II. There balcony. are no buildings listed Grade 1, 2 listed Stepney Chapel, Blackfriars Street. Grade II* and 38 listed Grade II. A Baptist Church of 1841, of gault brick, with a three-bay façade under a Listed Grade II* pediment and good railings to the street. No. 42 Chapel Street. The early 19th Town Wall, Kettlewell Lane. One of Century brown-brick façade conceals the few surviving lengths of the 13th an early 18th Century interior: Century defences, with a series of stilted pedimented Tuscan doorcase, modillion brick arches on the west side opening eaves cornice and sashes. into small chambers and further four-centred arches behind. These supported the wall walk on which defenders positioned themselves. Scheduled Ancient Monument No. 174A. Town Wall, Littleport Terrace and Wyatt Street. A similar length of limestone, brick and carstone wall, probably rebuilt in the 1290s, with less pronounced niches and chambers on the west side. Scheduled Ancient Monument No. 237.

Listed Grade II Littleport Bridge, Gaywood Road.The present reinforced concrete structure King’s Lynn Railway Station. 1871-2, conceals but protects the two 16th built for the Great Eastern Railway, the Century stone arches on brick builder was Robert Skipper of Dereham, revetments. Under the arches are additions and alterations in 1910. chamfered and stilted ribs. Scheduled Nos. 3-13 (consecutive) Blackfriars Ancient Monument No. 303. Road. A very handsome brown brick No. 5 Littleport Street. Large terrace of the 1840s, and one of the first seven-bay late 18th Century house with developments in the railway quarter. A the centre three bays projecting slightly, unified composition in the manner of and linked by a timber modillion eaves London `palace fronted’ terraces, with cornice. a fine continuous wrought-iron balcony No. 17 Littleport Street.The early 18th at the first floor, and good railings to the Century five-bay façade was reduced street.

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to four in the following Century, Century timber-framed house and shop disturbing the symmetry. Fine Ionic of a wealthy trader. doorcases with a seven-vaned fanlight, Nos. 37 & 38 Norfolk Street. A similar and, inside, the former saloon with timber-framed and brick late 16th apsed ends. Century merchant’s house and shop. Hob in the Well, Littleport Street. Curious columnar pattern to the central Prominently positioned early 19th glazing bars of the first-floor sashes. Century pub with later outbuildings Nos. 51-53 Norfolk Street. Completely incorporating part of the town wall. brick range of three early 17th Century Lynn Museum (formerly the Union combined shops and houses with good Baptist Chapel), Market Street. Union quadruple diamond flues to the Baptist Chapel of 1859 by Robert Moffat chimney. Smith. Converted to a museum in 1904 No. 61 Norfolk Street. A brick late 17th and extended in 1973, with more recent Century house and shop. alterations. Gault brick banded with red Nos. 74 & 75 Norfolk Street. A five-bay brick and some stone dressings. Slate mid 18th Century composition with roofs. 3 stage north-west tower of doorways right and left under acanthus square section. hoods leading to the first-floor accommodation. Nos. 99 & 100 Norfolk Street. Interesting late 15th Century range of shops on the ground floor, accommodation above, of brick and timber framing, with later facades. Original passage to rear with an iron cullis. Nos. 117-118 Norfolk Street. Possibly one of the last timber-framed houses built in Lynn: Early 18th Century, with an early 19th Century brown brick façade. Nos. 3-15 (odd) Portland Street. Superior terrace of three storeys and basement of c. 1850 to house the middle classes in the expanding railway area of Lynn. Good Corinthian doorcases and area railings. Important Unlisted Buildings

In common with almost all urban No. 26 Norfolk Street. Evidence environments the character of Norfolk Street remains of the formerly jettied late 16th conservation area rests more with the nature of its unlisted buildings than with its listed

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and scheduled ones.The listed buildings are Street, west of Albion Street, south of highlights to a very consistent and worthwhile Blackfriars Street, east of Blackfriars Road, whole, especially obvious in the mid 19th east of Railway Road, north of Austin Street, Century terraces of the railway quarter, or and north and south of Littleport Street form of Marshall and Stanley Streets. The barriers isolating the conservation area within industrial past of the area can only be it. Only to the south-east towards The Walks appreciated in other buildings: the and west towards Tuesday Market Place are warehouses in George Yard, and the views which would be recognised by a excellent workshop next to No. 1 Marshall resident of the 1950s. The environment in Street. A number of 19th Century shopfronts which the conservation area finds itself has survive in Norfolk Street, a testimony to the therefore changed markedly so the streets retail aspects of this very important facing the north and south-west extremities thoroughfare, and religious activity is especially are frontier streets, apparently represented by the former chapel at No. 26A resisting encroachment by car parks and Railway Road. Education is represented by service blocks of department stores. In many the good National School of 1853 on Albion places one can move from an historic area Street, and a great many buildings contribute into more bleak and utilitarian brick, concrete by their greater scale and height set as and steel developments simply by crossing punctuation marks at principal junctions. the street.Views out of the conservation area are particularly affected. Tree planting, Many buildings contribute by their close especially in the Austin Street car parks, groupings into unified terraces of different mitigates the effect to an extent, but the periods – Albert Street and Avenue – or by whole conservation area has an air of their group value with listed buildings, for vulnerability. which most Norfolk Street premises qualify. Many are singled out on the accompanying Within the boundaries themselves plan, and others are so important that they development has taken two forms: only just fail to reach listable quality, such reorganisation of traffic flow and infill as the railings in front of the chapel on development of redundant buildings. The Blackfriars Street or the former church hall main traffic scheme was the promotion of on Railway Road of 1888. Austin Street into a major link road from John Kennedy Road to Littleport Street, diverting Post-War Development traffic from the eastern section of Norfolk Street, and the link between Railway Road Many of the areas immediately surrounding and Austin Street, involving demolition of the conservation area owe their appearance houses and workshop units which had and character to developments following the evolved from the 17th Century. John expansion of the population of King’s Lynn Kennedy Road in its entire length is a in the early 1960s as a consequence of the completely new artery, but its effect is to London overspill scheme. In the years up to allow straight and fast traffic access from 1973 a large area in the centre of the town London Road to the docks and the north was redeveloped as a shopping area, with Lynn suburbs, to the benefit of the remaining pedestrian malls and car parks. This means streets. The west end of Norfolk Street has that the boundaries to the south of Norfolk been pedestrianised – one of the early

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examples of this in England, (just after the 1980s saw the emphasis shift to restoration first, London Street in Norwich), so Norfolk of older buildings rather than demolition, new Street is much more shopper-friendly than facades exactly duplicating the original, and it was in 1965.

Infill development or redevelopment began earlier, with the amalgamation of plots to form larger retail premises from the 1930s, especially at the west end of Norfolk Street, closest to the Market Place and therefore to the more commercially valuable sites. Of these, Holland & Barrett’s store at the junction with Broad Street stands out as a building of local note,, but almost all the others were rebuilt with differing degrees of sympathy from the 1960s.The later they are, then the more sympathetic to the street scene. Between Chapel Street and John refurbishment or replacement of residential Kennedy Road 33.6% of building on the units with similar units. Chapel Street has north side, and 27.2% on the south side is very good examples of this on the east side actually post-1965, and the fact that this is (Nos. 30-40 and Chapel Court), and in not at once obvious testifies to the underlying Portland Street stands Portland House, and strength and unity of the 19th Century in Waterloo Street Gainsborough Court. frontages and the mitigating scale of the street. Traditional Materials

Railway Road has seen a great deal less Overwhelmingly the visible materials are red rebuilding, but much greater disturbance of brick and Wisbech brown brick brought up display windows and frontages, which is by river, and slate for roofs. The slate only more destructive to historical character than arrived in bulk from Wales after the railway complete replacement by carefully designed opened in 1844, and its presence on roofs new buildings. Littleport Street has fared best of older buildings generally indicates repair in this respect, with just Edinburgh Court, or rebuilding. Otherwise pantiles on buildings while the railway quarter streets always later than c.1720 and plaintiles on earlier supported mixed use, and the post-war structures are the rule. Timber framing does buildings in fact replace sometimes ugly 19th exist in the Norfolk Street area, but is hidden Century industrial units.The later 1970s and from view by later brick reskinning, though there is a jetty bressumer behind No. 104 Norfolk Street, visible from the Austin Street car park. Roof structures generally are of Baltic fir, imported through the port of Lynn from medieval times.

www.west-norfolk.gov.uk Norfolk Street Conservation Area

Archaeological Interest reasons, but for fashion and corporate identity, so that main shopping streets, as There are three Scheduled Ancient has long been lamented, eventually all look Monuments in this area: the town walls at like each other. Norfolk Street in particular Kettlewell Lane (monument No. 174A), the has so much depth of tradition, however, that town wall at Wyatt Street (monument this is still resisted. Nos. 26 & 69 have early No.237) and the Littleport Street Bridge 20th Century shop display windows, but the (monument No. 303). latter also has aluminium windows and concrete roof tiles. No. 68A has uPVC windows, as do Nos. 63-64, while Nos. 65-66 have concrete roof tiles again, and this cladding is found intermittently, and sometimes glaringly evident, through the length of the street. Even the listed No. 26 has concrete tiles.

In the main terrace of Waterloo Street, Nos. 4-11, none of the eight houses have their sash windows, only Nos. 9 & 10 their doors, but all of them their doorcases and and all except 5 and 11 their slate roofs. The listed terrace in Portland Street, Nos. 3-15 (odds) There have been many finds relating to has original sashes to four of the seven construction and use of the walls, but no houses, doors to sixz and doorcases to five. evidence of early settlement. At the site of The section on the west side of Railway new development at 74-78 Norfolk Street road between Albion Street and Old Market are the possible remains of a medieval Street (nine premises) boasts slate roofs to quayside serving one of the cuts or fleets at five, original sashes only to the first floor of this end of the street, and there is evidence No. 25, and an original door only to No. 22. of pottery kilns and trades of all kinds from These statistics may be repeated in all the 13th Century. directions, but there are other detractors. Detractors Intrusive street signing blocks the view west into Norfolk Street at the Austin The special character of conservation areas Street/Littleport Street junction, at the south can easily be eroded by seemingly minor end of Railway Road and intermittently along alterations such as unsuitable replacement the course of this road at the junctions to the windows and doors, inappropriate materials west. Outside No. 17 Portland Street is a or unsympathetic paintwork and the removal telephone distribution pylon. of walls, railings and trees. In a predominantly retail and commercial centre replacement of shop display windows is a particular problem, especially as the alteration is seldom necessary for structural

[email protected] Character Statement

Appendix 1

www.west-norfolk.gov.uk Norfolk Street Conservation Area

Appendix 2

[email protected] Character Statement

Conservation Objectives

The overall conservation objective is to protect and reinforce the established special character of Conservation Areas and their setting.

This will be achieved by:

Encouraging the retention and maintenance of buildings which contribute to the overall character of each conservation area Ensuring that new development is sympathetic to the special qualities and character of each conservation area Protecting the setting of the conservation area from development which adversely affects views into or out of the area The retention, maintenance and locally appropriate new planting of trees Maintaining and enhancing local features and details which contribute towards an area's local distinctiveness Working with the community to prepare schemes of enhancement Encouraging the removal of detractors to the special character of each conservation area

www.west-norfolk.gov.uk Contacts and advice

Within conservation areas, a number of special controls apply and it is advisable that anyone proposing to carry out new development, alteration, extensions, installations or demolition should seek advice from Development Services at an early stage. Special controls also apply to the trees sand some may be subject to Tree Preservation Orders. Anyone wishing to carry out work to trees within a Conservation Area should therefore seek advice from Development Services.

King’s Court Chapel Street King’s Lynn Norfolk PE30 1EX Tel: (01553) 692722 Fax: (01553) 691663 DX 57825 KING’S LYNN 830/174/01 1 Carter to 6 5

Transit Sheds Def 12 Allotment Gardens LB 1 8

T AUSTIN FIELDS 9 2 3 NO 5 RTH STREE 8 to 4 T 7 1 1 1 6 KING’S LYNN 26 Gardens 13 Sub Sta HOMELAND RD 25 North Hirne Court True's 5 45 24 7 Mast (Telecommunication) 21 5a St Nicholas Close Gaywood River 3 22 1 to 7 29 Highgate Infants School 21 ANN'S STREE 8 CONSERVATION AREA 20 12 T 1 to 23 Red Cross 59 S 38 to 54 Works Red Cross HQ 19 GAYWOOD ROAD 1 NORFOLK STREET AREA Works 8 ED & ARCHDALE 15 T 32 W 5 42 14 JOHN KENNED AUSTIN FIELDS ard Bdy 66 EASTG 40 35 Sub Sta 13 32 16 29

T 78

own 22 24 18 Sorting Office KETTLEWEL T 1 A Recreation Ground TE STREE

W 23 22 1b

St Nicholas Chapel all ANN'S STREE 7 20 Y T 1a STREE ROAD S T Nursery

T L Sports Centre PILO Timber Yard LANE

CHAPE 1 7 8 AUSTIN FIELDS 80 19 Tudor Rose Regis 78 3 YWOOD ROAD L Dorrington House 17 A T LANE Tank G Lovell House 72 13 15 Priory House Depot T NICHOLAS STREE T St Katherines Court Tank S own Offices 15a T 121 JOHN KENNED Sub Sta 14 AUSTIN STREET W

W 15 arehouse

16 all 17b 17 1 Gateway T 14 1 AUSTIN S Sub AUSTIN STREE 131 17 LB Car Park 5 Works Kings Yard 9 2 House Works King's Court Y ROAD 18 10 11 T Fells Warehouse 1 W 2 Car Park Yard DODMANS CLOSE Technical College 1 STREE ATER LANE 12 1 RT KING’S LYNN 1 16 Playground ALBE 8 8 1 ALBE

CHAPE LITTLEPO CONSERVATION AREA 5

14 12 Littleport 99 98 THE ST NICHOLAS AREA 39 1 RT 5 to 7 RT 72 71 Corn Exchange 37 (Austin Friars) 73 13

A 74 42 STREE 75 1 L Tuesday Market Place VENUE 10 76 1 Gaywood River STREE 77 9 T 15

78 ank MARKET LANE 70 T 8 errace 8 7 1a

6

Car Park 40 24 67 17 95 T 80 65 Edinburgh 97a 13 1a Duke's Head Hotel T 97b 62 63 1 5 T Bank 96a 1b HIGHGATE 21 31 57 Garage

20 4 95 NORFOLK 53STREE 1 Bank 96 90 35 33 30 Emmerich Court

19 W T 38 49 20a 25 100 own

36 Eagle 45 9 YA 40 3 28 22 106 T 1 63 8

41 W 2 T Bank 21 108 89 44 Chapel 1 to 12 STREE 39 7 all Globe LB 1 12 1 3637 22 29 35 T 45 ED & SURRE 14 61 Y STREET 1 P Globe Hotel 15 ARADISE LANE STREE 7 46 63 1 32 L Eastgate Bank 6 30 T 1 W MARSHAL 47 26 GEORGE 34 ard Bdy 50 33 29c 21 to 22 62 121 59 10 61 Surrey Yard 23 6 52 53 55 60 17 30 36 14 69 22 29 57 15 Guildhall of Saint George 21 TERRACE 64 25 AY 58 57 to W TON

19 3 1 13 Posts PAX 78 3 58

127 Y 1 46 OLDSUN T ARD T 65 18 23 4 AVENUE KIRB 24

44a to 44m ON 66 19 5 Y STREE Sub Sta 27 77 LT 136 133 15 16 Car Park MI 11 NORFOLK STREE 6 TANLE 27 S 1a 56 38 Y 75 1 56

40 3 STREE 68 1 139 Broad Street46 11 to 12 7 25 14 MI 19 73 143 8 73 23a 72 70 L 36 10 to 12 T 23 9 67 ON 55 34 1 2 2a 3 76 8 Sub Sta T 7 42 Y 6 A 77 A W VENUE 21 77d 41 40 COBURG STREE 69

21 78 The Kings Centre 14 T OLDSUN T

53 39 49 to 51 to 49

52 Roof Car Park WELLESLEY STREET Roof 1 2 4 48 1a 11 50 6

14a 53 3 1 Library Court ROAD 22

High Street Y

KING STREE 51 A

48 The T 15

20 W

20a 45 PURFLEE L 84 47 Centre BLACKFRIARS ROAD

44 43

RAI 18 to 20 to 18 25 16 13 Broad Street12 to 34 14 Sub Sta 86

45

1 18 T

1

1 13 43 23

1a 40 1 (course of) Sta 1 7 ALBION STREE 42 PORTLAND STREE 6 T Bus Station

10 41 2 90 5 26 1 to 9 12 24 King's Lynn Station

40

5 NOTATION 20 6 39

39 26a 3 Portland House 6 16 Burton's 1 1

4 St Johns Court 3 St Dominic's Square Swiss Terrace SL 2 CONSERVATION AREA BOUNDARY

1 1 to 9

1 6 11 34 34 1 14 1 3 5 1 15 T STREET WATERLOO STREET PURFLEET STREET 16 OLD MARKE LB T 13 12 MARKET STREE House New Conduit17 Streetto 29 ARADE 7 to 9 SL Purfleet Quay 17 P LB 99 1 to 6 DIVIDING BOUNDARY 32 Church 32a 99c Pur Fleet Sub Sta 26 SEDGEFORD LANE Sluice ARADISE St John's Terrace 2 to P Hall 33 25 Tel Ex Notation: Head Post Office 33a 10 12 to 14 PLACE 101 South Quay T Baxter's 8 PURFLEE 1 1 to 61 23 33c 2 DESIGNATED - 1969 3 Sta 1 11 13 Y Bowling Green Granary Court 23 A 1 LISTED102 BUILDINGS Head Post Office 15 17 19 1 to 16 EXTENSION - 15.05.79

Gaywood River W

L Bowling Green 103a

22 T BLACKFRIARS STREE The Granaries BLACKFRIARS STREE T BLACKFRIARS ROAD EXTENSION - 09.10.91 SQUARE 2 4 30 to 38 RAI 21 6 28 (course of) 3 Sluice 10 14 18 St John's REVISED - 06.02.92 Garage St Johns Church W 3a alk BAKER LANE 20 IMPORTANT UNLISTED BUILDINGS2 1 REVISED - 05.09.03

4 1 3 28 BAKER LANE SOUTH CLOUGH LANE 5 15 CLOUGH LANE Sluice

1 4 5 RT BAXTERS COURT Bank House 17a Swimming ED & Ward Bdy Cinema Posts UNION LANE COU Playground

17 CLOUGH LANE 22 T ower Street W RY St James KING’S LYNN alks Rivulet 24 1 KING'S LYNN This Map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission14 of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller 11 Multistorey CONSERVATION AREA Gaywood River of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead THE WALKS AREA N 19 1 to 10 13

GRANA 1 Crowns Court to prosecution or civil proceedings. Borough Council of King’s Lynn18a and West Norfolk. Licence No.100024314. November 2009. 10 to 16 21 High Street

14 19c 21 1